It's My Choice (Book 1)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Tom wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me off the ground. I put my arms around Tom's neck and we stood there, well, Tom stood there-by the door-for a really long time. I buried my face in Tom's neck and felt my eyes water.

"Why are you crying?" Tom asked as he looked at me.

"I feel so horrible." I cried, "I can't forgive myself for what I did."

He sat on the couch and sat me on his lap, "Hey, don't blame yourself." He said as he wiped away my tears. "This wasn't your fault. If I hadn't said anything...none of this would have happened."

"I'm glad you did. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that." I took hold of his face and looked at him in his eyes for a few moments, "I love you." I finally said.

A smile spread across his face. This smile was bigger than any I've seen before. "You finally said it. Oh, my God you finally said the words I’ve been dying to hear you say." He pressed his lips to mine and pulled me to his chest, "I love you too." He ran his hands along my back and stopped at my waist, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that."

I looked at him and his eyes looked watery, "How long?" I mumbled I rested my head against his chest.

"An extremely long time." He held my face and looked at me in the eyes, "It was worth the wait. I...I have never been this happy in my life as I am now."

"I haven't been this happy either." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. It felt strange to kiss him. It was a good strange, but maybe it was different because it actually meant something. I ran my fingers through his hair as I made eye contact with him, "Last night was...horrible for me. I waited for you, but you never came."

"You don't think it was hard for me, too? It was torture for me to stay here. I had to stop myself from going to you. It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Luckily," he smiled, "we will never have to go through that again." He kissed me again. He pulled away after a really long time, "Are you ready to sleep?"

"Sleep?" I asked, knowing that it wasn't really going to be sleep.

"Yes, sleep." He smiled and stood still holding on to me. He laid on the bed and held me against his chest.

Something isn't right. He hasn't made a move nor gotten ready to sleep. He was still fully clothed. I though nothing of it, maybe it was just happiness that he didn’t pay much attention to it.

I got off of Tom to take off my pants. There's no way I'll be able to sleep in jeans.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Tom asked. He was watching me as I pulled down my pants. "Because it's working."

"No, if I was, I would have done this." I climbed on the bed and kneeled over him. I kissed him and put my fingers in his hair. My hands went to his shoulders as my lips went down to his neck. Slowly, I slid my hands down his torso and stopped at his belt. I started to undo his belt then I felt his hands on mine.

"Uh...Annie?" He laughed nervously, "Although I love what's happening here, you should stop. I...I don't have...protection." I got off of him and he stood and pulled down his pants then laid back down. I laid next to him and rested my head on his shoulder. "So, where do we stand?" Tom asked.

"We're not standing we're lying on your bed." He looked serious and I laughed, "I don't know."

"I want to start over." He said, "I want to do this properly, so tomorrow will be...our first official date. What do you say?" He asked.

"You want to start all over?" I asked, sitting up and looking at him. He nodded, "Why don't we just continue from here?"

"Then it won't feel real. It'll just feel like we're still," he air quoted, "friends. I don't want to be just friends anymore. That first night we spent together that we ended up at my uncle's restaurant. I've always considered that sort of a first date. We didn't do anything, but to me that will always be our first date."